CHAPTER	O
I	O
You	O
must	O
go	O
back	O
with	O
me	O
to	O
the	O
autumn	O
of	O
1827	O
.	O

My	O
father	O
,	O
as	O
you	O
know	O
,	O
was	O
a	O
sort	O
of	O
gentleman	O
farmer	O
in	O
—	O
shire	O
;	O
and	O
I	O
,	O
by	O
his	O
express	O
desire	O
,	O
succeeded	O
him	O
in	O
the	O
same	O
quiet	O
occupation	O
,	O
not	O
very	O
willingly	O
,	O
for	O
ambition	O
urged	O
me	O
to	O
higher	O
aims	O
,	O
and	O
self-conceit	O
assured	O
me	O
that	O
,	O
in	O
disregarding	O
its	O
voice	O
,	O
I	O
was	O
burying	O
my	O
talent	O
in	O
the	O
earth	O
,	O
and	O
hiding	O
my	O
light	O
under	O
a	O
bushel	O
.	O

My	O
mother	O
had	O
done	O
her	O
utmost	O
to	O
persuade	O
me	O
that	O
I	O
was	O
capable	O
of	O
great	O
achievements	O
;	O
but	O
my	O
father	O
,	O
who	O
thought	O
ambition	O
was	O
the	O
surest	O
road	O
to	O
ruin	O
,	O
and	O
change	O
but	O
another	O
word	O
for	O
destruction	O
,	O
would	O
listen	O
to	O
no	O
scheme	O
for	O
bettering	O
either	O
my	O
own	O
condition	O
,	O
or	O
that	O
of	O
my	O
fellow	O
mortals	O
.	O

He	O
assured	EVENT
me	O
it	O
was	O
all	O
rubbish	O
,	O
and	O
exhorted	EVENT
me	O
,	O
with	O
his	O
dying	O
breath	EVENT
,	O
to	O
continue	O
in	O
the	O
good	O
old	O
way	O
,	O
to	O
follow	O
his	O
steps	O
,	O
and	O
those	O
of	O
his	O
father	O
before	O
him	O
,	O
and	O
let	O
my	O
highest	O
ambition	O
be	O
to	O
walk	O
honestly	O
through	O
the	O
world	O
,	O
looking	O
neither	O
to	O
the	O
right	O
hand	O
nor	O
to	O
the	O
left	O
,	O
and	O
to	O
transmit	O
the	O
paternal	O
acres	O
to	O
my	O
children	O
in	O
,	O
at	O
least	O
,	O
as	O
flourishing	O
a	O
condition	O
as	O
he	O
left	O
them	O
to	O
me	O
.	O

‘	O
Well	O
!	O

—	O
an	O
honest	O
and	O
industrious	O
farmer	O
is	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
most	O
useful	O
members	O
of	O
society	O
;	O
and	O
if	O
I	O
devote	O
my	O
talents	O
to	O
the	O
cultivation	O
of	O
my	O
farm	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
improvement	O
of	O
agriculture	O
in	O
general	O
,	O
I	O
shall	O
thereby	O
benefit	O
,	O
not	O
only	O
my	O
own	O
immediate	O
connections	O
and	O
dependants	O
,	O
but	O
,	O
in	O
some	O
degree	O
,	O
mankind	O
at	O
large	O
:	O
—	O
hence	O
I	O
shall	O
not	O
have	O
lived	O
in	O
vain	O
.	O
’	O

With	O
such	O
reflections	EVENT
as	O
these	O
I	O
was	O
endeavouring	EVENT
to	O
console	O
myself	O
,	O
as	O
I	O
plodded	EVENT
home	O
from	O
the	O
fields	O
,	O
one	O
cold	O
,	O
damp	O
,	O
cloudy	O
evening	O
towards	O
the	O
close	O
of	O
October	O
.	O

But	O
the	O
gleam	O
of	O
a	O
bright	O
red	O
fire	EVENT
through	O
the	O
parlour	O
window	O
had	O
more	O
effect	O
in	O
cheering	EVENT
my	O
spirits	O
,	O
and	O
rebuking	EVENT
my	O
thankless	O
repinings	O
,	O
than	O
all	O
the	O
sage	O
reflections	EVENT
and	O
good	O
resolutions	EVENT
I	O
had	O
forced	EVENT
my	O
mind	O
to	O
frame	O
;	O
—	O
for	O
I	O
was	O
young	O
then	O
,	O
remember	O
—	O
only	O
four-and-twenty	O
—	O
and	O
had	O
not	O
acquired	O
half	O
the	O
rule	O
over	O
my	O
own	O
spirit	O
that	O
I	O
now	O
possess	O
—	O
trifling	O
as	O
that	O
may	O
be	O
.	O

However	O
,	O
that	O
haven	O
of	O
bliss	O
must	O
not	O
be	O
entered	O
till	O
I	O
had	O
exchanged	O
my	O
miry	O
boots	O
for	O
a	O
clean	O
pair	O
of	O
shoes	O
,	O
and	O
my	O
rough	O
surtout	O
for	O
a	O
respectable	O
coat	O
,	O
and	O
made	O
myself	O
generally	O
presentable	O
before	O
decent	O
society	O
;	O
for	O
my	O
mother	O
,	O
with	O
all	O
her	O
kindness	O
,	O
was	O
vastly	O
particular	O
on	O
certain	O
points	O
.	O

In	O
ascending	EVENT
to	O
my	O
room	O
I	O
was	O
met	EVENT
upon	O
the	O
stairs	O
by	O
a	O
smart	O
,	O
pretty	O
girl	O
of	O
nineteen	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
tidy	O
,	O
dumpy	O
figure	O
,	O
a	O
round	O
face	O
,	O
bright	O
,	O
blooming	O
cheeks	O
,	O
glossy	O
,	O
clustering	O
curls	O
,	O
and	O
little	O
merry	O
brown	O
eyes	O
.	O

I	O
need	O
not	O
tell	O
you	O
this	O
was	O
my	O
sister	O
Rose	O
.	O

She	O
is	O
,	O
I	O
know	O
,	O
a	O
comely	O
matron	O
still	O
,	O
and	O
,	O
doubtless	O
,	O
no	O
less	O
lovely	O
—	O
in	O
your	O
eyes	O
—	O
than	O
on	O
the	O
happy	O
day	O
you	O
first	O
beheld	O
her	O
.	O

Nothing	O
told	O
me	O
then	O
that	O
she	O
,	O
a	O
few	O
years	O
hence	O
,	O
would	O
be	O
the	O
wife	O
of	O
one	O
entirely	O
unknown	O
to	O
me	O
as	O
yet	O
,	O
but	O
destined	O
hereafter	O
to	O
become	O
a	O
closer	O
friend	O
than	O
even	O
herself	O
,	O
more	O
intimate	O
than	O
that	O
unmannerly	O
lad	O
of	O
seventeen	O
,	O
by	O
whom	O
I	O
was	O
collared	EVENT
in	O
the	O
passage	O
,	O
on	O
coming	EVENT
down	O
,	O
and	O
well-nigh	O
jerked	EVENT
off	O
my	O
equilibrium	O
,	O
and	O
who	O
,	O
in	O
correction	O
for	O
his	O
impudence	EVENT
,	O
received	O
a	O
resounding	O
whack	EVENT
over	O
the	O
sconce	O
,	O
which	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
sustained	O
no	O
serious	O
injury	O
from	O
the	O
infliction	O
;	O
as	O
,	O
besides	O
being	O
more	O
than	O
commonly	O
thick	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
protected	O
by	O
a	O
redundant	O
shock	O
of	O
short	O
,	O
reddish	O
curls	O
,	O
that	O
my	O
mother	O
called	O
auburn	O
.	O

On	O
entering	EVENT
the	O
parlour	O
we	O
found	EVENT
that	O
honoured	O
lady	O
seated	O
in	O
her	O
arm-chair	O
at	O
the	O
fireside	O
,	O
working	EVENT
away	O
at	O
her	O
knitting	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
her	O
usual	O
custom	O
,	O
when	O
she	O
had	O
nothing	O
else	O
to	O
do	O
.	O

She	O
had	O
swept	EVENT
the	O
hearth	O
,	O
and	O
made	EVENT
a	O
bright	O
blazing	O
fire	EVENT
for	O
our	O
reception	O
;	O
the	O
servant	O
had	O
just	O
brought	EVENT
in	O
the	O
tea-tray	O
;	O
and	O
Rose	O
was	O
producing	EVENT
the	O
sugar-basin	O
and	O
tea-caddy	O
from	O
the	O
cupboard	O
in	O
the	O
black	O
oak	O
side-board	O
,	O
that	O
shone	EVENT
like	O
polished	O
ebony	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
cheerful	O
parlour	O
twilight	O
.	O

‘	O
Well	O
!	O

here	O
they	O
both	O
are	O
,	O
’	O
cried	EVENT
my	O
mother	O
,	O
looking	EVENT
round	O
upon	O
us	O
without	O
retarding	O
the	O
motion	EVENT
of	O
her	O
nimble	O
fingers	O
and	O
glittering	O
needles	O
.	O

‘	O
Now	O
shut	O
the	O
door	O
,	O
and	O
come	O
to	O
the	O
fire	O
,	O
while	O
Rose	O
gets	O
the	O
tea	O
ready	O
;	O
I	O
’m	O
sure	O
you	O
must	O
be	O
starved	O
;	O
—	O
and	O
tell	O
me	O
what	O
you	O
’ve	O
been	O
about	O
all	O
day	O
;	O
—	O
I	O
like	O
to	O
know	O
what	O
my	O
children	O
have	O
been	O
about	O
.	O
’	O

‘	O
I	O
’ve	O
been	O
breaking	EVENT
in	O
the	O
grey	O
colt	O
—	O
no	O
easy	O
business	O
that	O
—	O
directing	EVENT
the	O
ploughing	EVENT
of	O
the	O
last	O
wheat	O
stubble	O
—	O
for	O
the	O
ploughboy	O
has	O
not	O
the	O
sense	O
to	O
direct	O
himself	O
—	O
and	O
carrying	O
out	O
a	O
plan	O
for	O
the	O
extensive	O
and	O
efficient	O
draining	O
of	O
the	O
low	O
meadowlands	O
.	O
’	O

‘	O
That	O
’s	O
my	O
brave	O
boy	O
!	O

—	O
and	O
Fergus	O
,	O
what	O
have	O
you	O
been	O
doing	O
?	O
’	O

‘	O
Badger-baiting	O
.	O
’	O

And	O
here	O
he	O
proceeded	O
to	O
give	O
a	O
particular	O
account	EVENT
of	O
his	O
sport	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
respective	O
traits	O
of	O
prowess	O
evinced	O
by	O
the	O
badger	O
and	O
the	O
dogs	O
;	O
my	O
mother	O
pretending	EVENT
to	O
listen	O
with	O
deep	O
attention	O
,	O
and	O
watching	EVENT
his	O
animated	O
countenance	O
with	O
a	O
degree	O
of	O
maternal	O
admiration	O
I	O
thought	EVENT
highly	O
disproportioned	O
to	O
its	O
object	O
.	O

‘	O
It	O
’s	O
time	O
you	O
should	O
be	O
doing	O
something	O
else	O
,	O
Fergus	O
,	O
’	O
said	EVENT
I	O
,	O
as	O
soon	O
as	O
a	O
momentary	O
pause	EVENT
in	O
his	O
narration	EVENT
allowed	O
me	O
to	O
get	O
in	O
a	O
word	O
.	O

‘	O
What	O
can	O
I	O
do	O
?	O
’	O

replied	EVENT
he	O
;	O
‘	O
my	O
mother	O
wo	O
n’t	O
let	O
me	O
go	O
to	O
sea	O
or	O
enter	O
the	O
army	O
;	O
and	O
I	O
’m	O
determined	O
to	O
do	O
nothing	O
else	O
—	O
except	O
make	O
myself	O
such	O
a	O
nuisance	O
to	O
you	O
all	O
,	O
that	O
you	O
will	O
be	O
thankful	O
to	O
get	O
rid	O
of	O
me	O
on	O
any	O
terms	O
.	O
’	O

Our	O
parent	O
soothingly	O
stroked	EVENT
his	O
stiff	O
,	O
short	O
curls	O
.	O

He	O
growled	EVENT
,	O
and	O
tried	EVENT
to	O
look	O
sulky	O
,	O
and	O
then	O
we	O
all	O
took	EVENT
our	O
seats	O
at	O
the	O
table	O
,	O
in	O
obedience	O
to	O
the	O
thrice-repeated	O
summons	EVENT
of	O
Rose	O
.	O

‘	O
Now	O
take	O
your	O
tea	O
,	O
’	O
said	EVENT
she	O
;	O
‘	O
and	O
I	O
’ll	O
tell	O
you	O
what	O
I	O
’ve	O
been	O
doing	O
.	O

I	O
’ve	O
been	O
to	O
call	EVENT
on	O
the	O
Wilsons	O
;	O
and	O
it	O
’s	O
a	O
thousand	O
pities	O
you	O
did	O
n’t	O
go	O
with	O
me	O
,	O
Gilbert	O
,	O
for	O
Eliza	O
Millward	O
was	O
there	O
!	O
’	O

‘	O
Well	O
!	O

what	O
of	O
her	O
?	O
’	O

‘	O
Oh	O
,	O
nothing	O
!	O

—	O
I	O
’m	O
not	O
going	O
to	O
tell	O
you	O
about	O
her	O
;	O
—	O
only	O
that	O
she	O
’s	O
a	O
nice	O
,	O
amusing	O
little	O
thing	O
,	O
when	O
she	O
is	O
in	O
a	O
merry	O
humour	O
,	O
and	O
I	O
should	O
n’t	O
mind	O
calling	O
her	O
—	O
’	O
‘	O
Hush	O
,	O
hush	O
,	O
my	O
dear	O
!	O

your	O
brother	O
has	O
no	O
such	O
idea	O
!	O
’	O

whispered	EVENT
my	O
mother	O
earnestly	O
,	O
holding	EVENT
up	O
her	O
finger	O
.	O

‘	O
Well	O
,	O
’	O
resumed	EVENT
Rose	O
;	O
‘	O
I	O
was	O
going	O
to	O
tell	O
you	O
an	O
important	O
piece	O
of	O
news	O
I	O
heard	EVENT
there	O
—	O
I	O
have	O
been	O
bursting	EVENT
with	O
it	O
ever	O
since	O
.	O

You	O
know	O
it	O
was	O
reported	EVENT
a	O
month	O
ago	O
,	O
that	O
somebody	O
was	O
going	O
to	O
take	O
Wildfell	O
Hall	O
—	O
and	O
—	O
what	O
do	O
you	O
think	O
?	O

It	O
has	O
actually	O
been	O
inhabited	EVENT
above	O
a	O
week	O
!	O

—	O
and	O
we	O
never	O
knew	O
!	O
’	O

‘	O
Impossible	O
!	O
’	O

cried	EVENT
my	O
mother	O
.	O

‘	O
Preposterous	O
!!!	O
’	O

shrieked	EVENT
Fergus	O
.	O

‘	O
It	O
has	O
indeed	O
!	O

—	O
and	O
by	O
a	O
single	O
lady	O
!	O
’	O

‘	O
Good	O
gracious	O
,	O
my	O
dear	O
!	O

The	O
place	O
is	O
in	O
ruins	O
!	O
’	O

‘	O
She	O
has	O
had	O
two	O
or	O
three	O
rooms	O
made	O
habitable	O
;	O
and	O
there	O
she	O
lives	O
,	O
all	O
alone	O
—	O
except	O
an	O
old	O
woman	O
for	O
a	O
servant	O
!	O
’	O

‘	O
Oh	O
,	O
dear	O
!	O

that	O
spoils	O
it	O
—	O
I	O
’d	O
hoped	O
she	O
was	O
a	O
witch	O
,	O
’	O
observed	EVENT
Fergus	O
,	O
while	O
carving	EVENT
his	O
inch-thick	O
slice	O
of	O
bread	O
and	O
butter	O
.	O

‘	O
Nonsense	O
,	O
Fergus	O
!	O

But	O
is	O
n’t	O
it	O
strange	O
,	O
mamma	O
?	O
’	O

‘	O
Strange	O
!	O

I	O
can	O
hardly	O
believe	O
it	O
.	O
’	O

‘	O
But	O
you	O
may	O
believe	O
it	O
;	O
for	O
Jane	O
Wilson	O
has	O
seen	EVENT
her	O
.	O

She	O
went	EVENT
with	O
her	O
mother	O
,	O
who	O
,	O
of	O
course	O
,	O
when	O
she	O
heard	EVENT
of	O
a	O
stranger	O
being	O
in	O
the	O
neighbourhood	O
,	O
would	O
be	O
on	O
pins	O
and	O
needles	O
till	O
she	O
had	O
seen	O
her	O
and	O
got	O
all	O
she	O
could	O
out	O
of	O
her	O
.	O

She	O
is	O
called	O
Mrs.	O
Graham	O
,	O
and	O
she	O
is	O
in	O
mourning	O
—	O
not	O
widow	O
’s	O
weeds	O
,	O
but	O
slightish	O
mourning	O
—	O
and	O
she	O
is	O
quite	O
young	O
,	O
they	O
say	O
,	O
—	O
not	O
above	O
five	O
or	O
six	O
and	O
twenty	O
,	O
—	O
but	O
so	O
reserved	O
!	O

They	O
tried	EVENT
all	O
they	O
could	O
to	O
find	O
out	O
who	O
she	O
was	O
and	O
where	O
she	O
came	O
from	O
,	O
and	O
,	O
all	O
about	O
her	O
,	O
but	O
neither	O
Mrs.	O
Wilson	O
,	O
with	O
her	O
pertinacious	O
and	O
impertinent	O
home-thrusts	O
,	O
nor	O
Miss	O
Wilson	O
,	O
with	O
her	O
skilful	O
manoeuvring	O
,	O
could	O
manage	O
to	O
elicit	O
a	O
single	O
satisfactory	O
answer	O
,	O
or	O
even	O
a	O
casual	O
remark	O
,	O
or	O
chance	O
expression	O
calculated	O
to	O
allay	O
their	O
curiosity	O
,	O
or	O
throw	O
the	O
faintest	O
ray	O
of	O
light	O
upon	O
her	O
history	O
,	O
circumstances	O
,	O
or	O
connections	O
.	O

Moreover	O
,	O
she	O
was	O
barely	O
civil	O
to	O
them	O
,	O
and	O
evidently	O
better	O
pleased	EVENT
to	O
say	EVENT
‘	O
good-by	O
,	O
’	O
than	O
‘	O
how	O
do	O
you	O
do	O
.	O
’	O

But	O
Eliza	O
Millward	O
says	EVENT
her	O
father	O
intends	O
to	O
call	O
upon	O
her	O
soon	O
,	O
to	O
offer	O
some	O
pastoral	O
advice	O
,	O
which	O
he	O
fears	O
she	O
needs	O
,	O
as	O
,	O
though	O
she	O
is	O
known	O
to	O
have	O
entered	O
the	O
neighbourhood	O
early	O
last	O
week	O
,	O
she	O
did	O
not	O
make	O
her	O
appearance	O
at	O
church	O
on	O
Sunday	O
;	O
and	O
she	O
—	O
Eliza	O
,	O
that	O
is	O
—	O
will	O
beg	O
to	O
accompany	O
him	O
,	O
and	O
is	O
sure	O
she	O
can	O
succeed	O
in	O
wheedling	O
something	O
out	O
of	O
her	O
—	O
you	O
know	O
,	O
Gilbert	O
,	O
she	O
can	O
do	O
anything	O
.	O

And	O
we	O
should	O
call	O
some	O
time	O
,	O
mamma	O
;	O
it	O
’s	O
only	O
proper	O
,	O
you	O
know	O
.	O
’	O

‘	O
Of	O
course	O
,	O
my	O
dear	O
.	O

Poor	O
thing	O
!	O

How	O
lonely	O
she	O
must	O
feel	O
!	O
’	O

‘	O
And	O
pray	O
,	O
be	O
quick	O
about	O
it	O
;	O
and	O
mind	O
you	O
bring	O
me	O
word	O
how	O
much	O
sugar	O
she	O
puts	O
in	O
her	O
tea	O
,	O
and	O
what	O
sort	O
of	O
caps	O
and	O
aprons	O
she	O
wears	O
,	O
and	O
all	O
about	O
it	O
;	O
for	O
I	O
do	O
n’t	O
know	O
how	O
I	O
can	O
live	O
till	O
I	O
know	O
,	O
’	O
said	EVENT
Fergus	O
,	O
very	O
gravely	O
.	O

But	O
if	O
he	O
intended	O
the	O
speech	O
to	O
be	O
hailed	O
as	O
a	O
master-stroke	O
of	O
wit	O
,	O
he	O
signally	O
failed	O
,	O
for	O
nobody	O
laughed	O
.	O

However	O
,	O
he	O
was	O
not	O
much	O
disconcerted	O
at	O
that	O
;	O
for	O
when	O
he	O
had	O
taken	EVENT
a	O
mouthful	O
of	O
bread	O
and	O
butter	O
and	O
was	O
about	O
to	O
swallow	O
a	O
gulp	O
of	O
tea	O
,	O
the	O
humour	O
of	O
the	O
thing	O
burst	EVENT
upon	O
him	O
with	O
such	O
irresistible	O
force	O
,	O
that	O
he	O
was	O
obliged	O
to	O
jump	EVENT
up	O
from	O
the	O
table	O
,	O
and	O
rush	EVENT
snorting	EVENT
and	O
choking	EVENT
from	O
the	O
room	O
;	O
and	O
a	O
minute	O
after	O
,	O
was	O
heard	EVENT
screaming	EVENT
in	O
fearful	O
agony	O
in	O
the	O
garden	O
.	O

As	O
for	O
me	O
,	O
I	O
was	O
hungry	O
,	O
and	O
contented	EVENT
myself	O
with	O
silently	O
demolishing	EVENT
the	O
tea	O
,	O
ham	O
,	O
and	O
toast	O
,	O
while	O
my	O
mother	O
and	O
sister	O
went	O
on	O
talking	EVENT
,	O
and	O
continued	O
to	O
discuss	EVENT
the	O
apparent	O
or	O
non-apparent	O
circumstances	O
,	O
and	O
probable	O
or	O
improbable	O
history	O
of	O
the	O
mysterious	O
lady	O
;	O
but	O
I	O
must	O
confess	EVENT
that	O
,	O
after	O
my	O
brother	O
’s	O
misadventure	EVENT
,	O
I	O
once	O
or	O
twice	O
raised	EVENT
the	O
cup	O
to	O
my	O
lips	O
,	O
and	O
put	EVENT
it	O
down	O
again	O
without	O
daring	O
to	O
taste	O
the	O
contents	O
,	O
lest	O
I	O
should	O
injure	O
my	O
dignity	O
by	O
a	O
similar	O
explosion	EVENT
.	O